Compare towns
Ashby vs Upton vs Wareham vs Lanesborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Lanesborough has the most affordable homes ($299k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ashby | Upton | Wareham | Lanesborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,211 |
8,189 |
23,302Highest |
3,028Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 26% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
51.2±4.4 28% above MA |
| Wareham and Lanesborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±5.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lanesborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±5.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Lanesborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$86,219±$19kLowest 17% below MA |
| Upton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$299,400±$36kLowest 47% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,349±$199 23% below MA |
| Wareham and Lanesborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034 about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$5,007 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±41.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
22 minLowest 25% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #200 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #75 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wareham | Mount Greylock |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.